Age Group Part 5.            Senior Runners Part 2


Age Group Part 6.            Senior Runners Part 2


Ok a bit of meat on the bones

This section is mainly on a few details of explanation as to how  your running works for you.

Running well requires four major components to be trained.  

These are VO2max, Anaerobic Threshold, Aerobic Endurance and Efficiency.  

There are of course many other factors but the above four cover 80% of running related performance.  I will briefly describe what each factor means and then cover briefly the types of training that stress that aspect of running performance.

VO2max : Maximal oxygen uptake.   

The basic definition of VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise.  V is volume, O2 is oxygen,  and max is maximum.

As you begin running your VO2 rate will increase and continue to increase until a point it can increase no more.  This plateau of where you can no longer utilize oxygen any faster is your VO2 max. The higher your VO2 max, the better your fitness level, but it has a limit.

Running Economy (RE) : 

is the amount of energy needed to maintain a specific speed.  

It is found by measuring the amount of oxygen consumed (VO2) at a certain steady sub maximal (meaning under Lactate Threshold or Turnpoint (LTP) pace and looking at the respiratory gas exchange ratio.  

Once you get above the LTP pace your VO2 no longer reaches steady levels as it is increasing, and therefore running economy can not be measured. 

The lower the ratio of VO2 to running pace, the better the Running Economy, or in simple terms the lower your VO2 is at a certain pace, the better your Running Economy.  

N.B. Your VO2 has a limited scope for improvement once you get to elite level, but in fact your genetics may have a limiting factor and influence on it also.

The very elite level is rarely obtainable except for the most exceptional of athletes. 

At elite level the difference in VO2max between runners is minimal for particularly and obviously middle distance and distance runners. 

Many other factors also come into play to be a successful runner at this level.

There is no need to dwell on VO2max, but the sessions are worked in at the right time in the leading up to peaking for your main race, not the be all and end all as there are many more things to do in your seasonal progressions, plus year on year development.

But Running Economy can be improved over time through various training mechanisms.It can be improved through better running form and efficiency and also an increase in capillary density.  Also an increase in mitochondria and enzymes in the muscles has been shown to improve RE.  

So basically the amount of oxygen your system can transport so as to fuel muscles is increased, therefore speed and stamina are able to develop further.

So to me in practical terms economy and efficiency are synonymous and I don't separate them when developing a training and racing programme.  

Why are the two RE's important?  

It is not your actual speed that gives you better running economy, but more of how long you can maintain that pace, because runners who have a good RE use less energy and oxygen than a runner who has a poor RE at the same pace.

So tempo running and progressing your training levels and ability, that gives a better RE


Paula Radcliffe is a good example, she has been tested and monitored regularly each year since she was a Junior age runner. 

Her VO2max has reduced since she was a Junior, but year on year her economy has improved as she was getting faster and moving on to peak marathon performances. 

And even when her VO2max was lower her short distance race times were far faster, on the back of training to be the marathon runner she was.

She left no stone unturned when exploring her economy and efficiency. Although deciding that the effort needed to focus on reducing her head nod and so efficiency, was not worth it, for the tiny amount of economy saved and in fact extra neural activity and focus, detracted from the racing at hand.

Aerobic Endurance : Low End Aerobic : Easy and Steady Running

The type of miles these runs log is actually more important than the amount, because the goal is to build a strong aerobic foundation with miles that are run a little faster than your recovery pace runs, but slower than lactate-threshold paces or other ventilatory tempo paces, in other words, somewhere between 60 and 75 percent of maximum heart rate. 

These comfortable, steady efforts are often called base miles because they form the "base" of a runner's training programme, and along with recovery runs, should account for 80 to 85 percent of total weekly mileage with the other 15 to 20 percent coming from higher-intensity training. 

Physiologically, base miles are important because they boost aerobic conditioning, develop slow-twitch muscle fibres, increase blood volume and glycogen storage, strengthen connective tissue, and enhance the body's ability to burn fat.

 But perhaps the best reason to build your base mileage during the winter is because of the positive impact it will have on your spring and summer racing seasons. 

Runners who emphasise base training throughout the winter will establish a substantial aerobic foundation that will carry them through to early summer. 

And the low-intensity, repetitive nature of base miles strengthens ligaments and tendons so that you'll be stronger and more injury-resistant when it finally comes time to turn up the heat during spring - summer speedwork sessions.


LSD : LONG STEADY RUNNING

So what essential training effect and physical gains do the necessary LSD runs give you. As indicated above, better running economy and efficiency (RE)

Increased mitochondria, multiplying your capillary system, improving your oxygen carrying capacity. Increased glycogen storage, and increased fat utilisation at race pace. 


The benefits of long runs are not just obtained by simply accumulating "time on your feet." 

Long, slow distance is often touted as the most effective way to train, but most elite runners have always known that would only prepare them to run a long way slowly, but that knowledge did not used to be widespread.

In my mind LSD is Long Steady Distance, and we realise that many of the physiological adaptations to long runs (e.g., increased glycogen storage, and increased fat utilisation at race pace) are specific to your training pace.


So there are various forms of long run and actual length or time of the run that you can do at various times in your plan.  I prefer it on an empty stomach and then your body can experience the adaptations for fuel distribution, fat utilisation etc ( I might have taken water on a 2 hour run when very hot. N.B. You will have gains later on as you get lighter from using fuel and less water sloshing around.


Obviously I am talking about advanced Senior runners, and if less fit, then you need to take a drink on long runs when very hot, but gels are not a;ways needed when you train your body to avoid the hitting wall effects.

The ability to up the pace to race pace in latter stages of long training runs, is essential to training for long races and marathons.


Anaerobic Threshold : TEMPO RUNNING or High-End Aerobic Training) 

So tempo running in various forms and objectives, and progressing that ability to run fast, but for longer and more comfortably, gives a better RE.

This is training at the very upper edge of aerobic running. Includes (LTP) Lactate Turn Point, ,Lactate Threshold running, or (OBLA) On-set of Blood Lactate Accumulation, others use various names for this.

So the faster you are able to run at your lactate turnpoint, the faster you'll race !!

What is usually called the lactate threshold / turnpoint, is at a pace approximately  10 - 30 seconds per mile slower than your current 10k race pace, depending on how fast you are and current level of fitness.

And you should be able to hold that reasonably comfortably for up to an hour, i.e. roughly your 15k/ 10 mile race pace or ½ marathon pace for more advanced runners.

This can be a straight run, progressing the time from 15 to 40mins, over the weeks.

It can be broken down into, long cruise repetitions, nearer to 10K pace, out and back tempo’s, acceleration runs or progression runs.

Or AT (Aerobic Threshold) which is essentially steady state aerobic running performed at your marathon pace for longer runs of 40 to 60mins, although marathon runners could periodically take this up to 75mins .

It’s faster and harder than your normal day to day steady maintenance running, but usually slower than your half marathon racing pace.


So what actually is Run Efficiency?

Efficiency, in a general sense, implies doing something in the most efficient manner, i.e. wasting the least amount of resources.  Being able to run at a given speed with the least amount of effort is a desirable thing to do, and we would describe such runners as efficient.  

But instead of the term efficiency, scientists use the term running-economy. This is similar to the fuel economy of a car: a measure of the amount of fuel used to cover a specific distance. 


Running Economy (RE) : As I said above, Is the amount of energy needed to maintain a specific speed.  So the Running Economy can be best thought of as a look at WHOLE BODY efficiency in terms of oxygen consumption.

It can be improved over time through various training mechanisms. 

Such as better running form and efficiency, an increase in capillary density and also increased mitochondria and enzymes in the muscles has been shown to improve your RE.  

And again it’s basically the amount of oxygen your system can transport so as to fuel muscles, is increased, therefore speed and stamina are able to develop further.

So to me in practical terms economy and efficiency are synonymous and I don't separate them when developing a training and racing programme.  


As I said the two RE's are important,  because it is not your actual speed that gives you better running economy, but more of how long you can maintain that pace for. 

Runners who have a good RE use less energy and oxygen than a runner who has a poor RE at the same pace.

YOU PERSONALLY HAVE THE SAME RE, NO MATTER WHAT PACE YOU ARE RUNNING AT THE TIME

Mechanical Efficiency.

This is what most people think of when they hear “He’s an efficient runner.” It is best thought of as how good one’s running form and posture is, and how they look as a runner. 

Are her feet planting the right way, is her hip extension good, and cadence suitable etc. 

There are other things in this category that you can't see, such as the physiological factors like the tension in the muscles & tendons and how much energy return the runner gets from this, plus lot's of other factors that contribute.

But in general, mechanical efficiency can be seen as, and be improved by, working on the runner’s form, posture, footplant, arm carriage etc

Physiological Efficiency. 

This encompasses all of the processes that take place within the body’s circulatory and muscular system. A couple of examples would be how efficient the oxygen transport and utilisation system is and how efficient the body is at breaking down energy sources.

Neural Efficiency. 

This refers to the processes that are dependent on the Nervous system. The creation of motor programmes that essentially tell the body what to do and how to run is what this efficiency deals with. 

The more you run, the more efficient the body becomes at sending the neural signals from the brain, nerve endings and to the muscles (even if with poor form). The brain also becomes better at determining how many and what muscle fibres to fire to do a certain movement.

Together these efficiencies govern how efficient a runner is in a whole body sense, and their interaction and the fact that you can be much more efficient in one area than another, shows why running form improvement alone, does not necessarily make you a better and more efficient runner, and that's if they are correct improvements. 

If making changes, at first you will become less efficient as you are learning a new skill, because their neural efficiency will drop, but over time your neural efficiency will adapt to the new motion and then the mechanical efficiency will improve.

This takes time, when gradually changing and having patience is necessary  

There are though, many runners who have bad form in some way and they are very efficient at running the wrong way. This is because they’d run so many miles that their body had become very efficient at running the wrong way. 

They become better at what they practise, even if what they practise has some wrong form.

Sometimes making slight changes to poor form may not be worth it for the effort to make those changes, and your body may already have compensated for your personal quirk and get's the best out of your own natural way of running.

This is personal and does not apply to the next person.

Some coaches and scientists have drawn the wrong conclusions from a set of data. Make sure you aren't one of those who makes that mistake.

So in practical terms, what can you do ? 

GET GOOD FORM

Sure, Paula Radcliffe set the world marathon record with her distinct loping gait and nodding head. But for mere mortals, floppy form means wasted energy. Research has shown that through practice you can become more economical. 

The more you rehearse, the more efficient you'll become, 

You don't necessarily have to analyse your stride; the learning occurs naturally as you gain experience. 

You shouldn't be huffing and puffing, or moving so slowly that it feels unnatural. Over time, your gait will become more efficient. 

If you're a beginner, just focus on gradually logging more miles on a regular basis. If you're more experienced, add some speed work, Strides, proprioceptive drills, dynamic mobility exercises, short hill sprints.

So practise proprioceptive drills on a regular basis, to help posture and good form, to aid and practise good efficient movement.

But for a distance runner and in general terms, having a mid-foot strike, with the plant under you and not out in front, and not over striding.  A slight heel flick with the hamstring automatically pulling your leg through in a gravitational way to your next stride, and so using less energy. 

Think a tall upright posture, not sinking low hips, but not bouncing up and down, a slightly bent leg trail leg coming through and not straight leading to foot plant. And look ahead by 20 metres or more not straight down, try to be light on you feet and not heavy slapping, and try not to have exaggerated arm movements.

You can practise this and be conscious of it in training, but run naturally when racing. Be patient this is a personal thing and do what suits you best.

Obviously there are some genetic factors in size and shape, capillary and muscle fibre distribution etc that may predispose you to being a better distance runner / racer.

Obviously being at your best racing weight is more energy efficient and don't over develop upper body muscles as this is like racing with a full backpack.

So for distance runners don't over do the conditioning, core, gym work and weights, just keep it event specific but eliminate any imbalances. 

Light shoes and clothing are better, well fitting and not too flappy either. But in cold weather wear sufficient clothes, so as not to waste energy if it's too cold.


David Rodgers 2023